How To Be Smarter: Scientists Say Antioxidant Pill Can Help | HuffPost

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Can This Pill Make You Smarter?

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A team of US scientists has created a pill packed with powerful antioxidants they claim could help make older adults smarter.

In a University of South Florida study, the supplement, made from blueberry and green tea extracts as well as vitamin D3 and amino acids, was found to improve cognitive processing speeds and mental function in older adults.

Developed by a team of neuroscientists and gerontologists, the polyphenol-rich pill was designed to work as a moderator of age-related oxidative stress and inflammation.

For their research, scientists enlisted older adults between the ages of 65 and 85. After a two-month test period, the group of 52 participants who took the pill demonstrated improved cognitive function based on a battery of tests that measured their memory, processing speed, verbal ability, working memory, executive functioning and complex speed.

Compared to the placebo group (53 volunteers), those on the supplement posted improved performances on processing speeds.

"Processing speed is most often affected early on in the course of cognitive aging,” explained co-author Brent Small in a statement.

“Successful performance in processing tasks often underlies more complex cognitive outcomes, such as memory and verbal ability."

The findings were published in the journal Rejuvenation Research.

Though the supplement is packed with high concentrations of some of nature's most powerful antioxidants, it’s been well established that eating foods like blueberries, green tea and fatty fish high in omega-3s in their unprocessed form can also act as dietary brain boosters.

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Brain Superfoods

Walnuts(01 of12)

Walnuts are chock-full of heart-healthy and anti-inflammatory nutrients, and are the only good nut source of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), HuffPost Healthy Living earlier reported. That means they help promote blood flow, which in turn allows for efficient delivery of oxygen to the brain. And research presented at the 2010 International Conference on Alzheimer's found that mice with the disease who were regularly fed walnuts had improved memory, learning and motor skill coordination, according to MyHealthNewsDaily. (credit:Alamy)

Olive Oil(02 of12)

Olive oil is a great source of monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to actually slow brain aging. (credit:shutterstock)

Berries(03 of12)

Animal studies have long indicated a link between berry consumption and brain health. But a recent study published in the Annals of Neurology found that a diet high in blueberries, strawberries and others were linked to a slower mental decline in areas like memory and focus in a large sample of middle-aged women, reported TIME's Alice Park. (credit: FLICKR: GEISHABOY500)

Sardines(04 of12)

Fatty fish like sardines (and salmon!) are a well-known brain booster, thanks to the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which have been linked to lower risk of dementia, improved focus and memory. (credit:Alamy)

Coffee(05 of12)

Caffeine, the mild stimulant found in coffee, improves mental acuity, though the drink's enthusiasts -- who guzzle 120,000 tons of the stuff each year -- likely already know that. Aside from caffeine's brain boosting effects, coffee's antioxidant richness helps maintain brain health. And some research suggests that drinking coffee can actually stave off depression in women. (credit:Alamy)

Spinach(06 of12)

Spinach is rich in the antioxidant lutein, which is thought to help protect against cognitive decline, according to researchers from Tufts University. And a longitudinal study at Harvard Medical School found that women who reported eating the most leafy green and cruciferous vegetables had a markedly lower rate of cognitive decline, compared to those who ate the least. (credit:Alamy)

Dark Chocolate(07 of12)

Antioxidant-rich dark chocolate is healthy for your whole body, but its caffeine content is thought to play a role in maintaining mental acuity. What's more, chocolate is rich in flavonoids, a class of antioxidant that helps to improve blood flow (and thus brain health) by regulating cholesterol and lowering blood pressure. (credit:Alamy)

Avocados(08 of12)

Avocados are full of monounsaturated fats that improve vascular health and blood flow, making them another brain food. (credit:Alamy)

Water(09 of12)

When a person becomes dehydrated, their brain tissue actually shrinks. And several studies have shown that dehydration can affect cognitive function. Dehydration can impair short-term memory, focus and decision making, according to Psychology Today.

Wheat Germ(10 of12)

Wheat germ is a rich vegetarian source of choline -- a nutrient that is involved in the body's production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that boosts memory, according to Shape. Eggs are another good choline source. (credit:Alamy)

Beets(11 of12)

Beets are a good source of naturally-occurring nitrates, which help improve blood flow to the brain, according to Shape. (credit:Alamy)

Garlic(12 of12)

Garlic may help stave off some forms of brain cancer, according to research published in Cancer, the medical journal of the American Cancer Society. Investigators found that the organo-sulfur compounds in garlic actually worked to kill glioblastoma cells -- a type of malignant tumor cell. (credit:Alamy)

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